Question 1Paper 1 style · no calculator
A restaurant bill is 64.00 pounds. A service charge of is added. What is the total to pay?
National 5 Applications of Maths
What is in National 5 Applications of Maths: the course content
National 5 Applications of Maths is examined by two papers, both compulsory: Paper 1 without a calculator (35 marks) and Paper 2 with one (55 marks, including case studies). Most questions are set in real-life contexts, and many ask you to make and justify a decision.
26 weeks, 104 hours in all
Start with Topic 1
Numeracy: numbers, fractions and percentages: 12 of your hours. It is 3 of the 40 questions on our timed checks, 13%.
| Topic | Your hours | Share of the checks |
|---|---|---|
| Topic 1: Numeracy: numbers, fractions and percentages | 12 | 13% |
| Topic 2: Measures, rates and proportion | 12 | 13% |
| Topic 3: Income, deductions and budgeting | 12 | 13% |
| Topic 4: Best deals, currency, saving and borrowing | 12 | 13% |
| Topic 5: Statistics | 12 | 13% |
| Topic 6: Planning: scale drawing, navigation, packing and scheduling | 12 | 13% |
| Topic 7: Geometry: gradient, shapes, solids and Pythagoras | 12 | 13% |
| Topic 8: Interpreting data and probability | 12 | 13% |
Week by week
- Week 1Section 1: Numeracy: numbers, fractions and percentages
- Week 2Section 1: Numeracy: numbers, fractions and percentages
- Week 3Section 1: Numeracy: numbers, fractions and percentages
- Week 4Section 2: Measures, rates and proportion
- Week 5Section 2: Measures, rates and proportion
- Week 6Section 2: Measures, rates and proportion
- Week 7Section 3: Income, deductions and budgeting
- Week 8Section 3: Income, deductions and budgeting
- Week 9Section 3: Income, deductions and budgeting
- Week 10Section 4: Best deals, currency, saving and borrowing
- Week 11Section 4: Best deals, currency, saving and borrowing
- Week 12Section 4: Best deals, currency, saving and borrowing
- Week 13Section 5: Statistics
- Week 14Section 5: Statistics
- Week 15Section 5: Statistics
- Week 16Section 6: Planning: scale drawing, navigation, packing and scheduling
- Week 17Section 6: Planning: scale drawing, navigation, packing and scheduling
- Week 18Section 6: Planning: scale drawing, navigation, packing and scheduling
- Week 19Section 7: Geometry: gradient, shapes, solids and Pythagoras
- Week 20Section 7: Geometry: gradient, shapes, solids and Pythagoras
- Week 21Section 7: Geometry: gradient, shapes, solids and Pythagoras
- Week 22Section 8: Interpreting data and probability
- Week 23Section 8: Interpreting data and probability
- Week 24Section 8: Interpreting data and probability
- Week 25A timed check and two paper-style questions, then review every lost mark
- Week 26A timed check and two paper-style questions, then review every lost mark
| Paper 1 | Non-calculator, 50 minutes, 35 marks |
|---|---|
| Paper 2 | Calculator, 1 hour 40 minutes, 55 marks, with case studies |
| Total | 90 marks, graded A to D |
| Exam day 2027 | Monday 26 April |
The eight sections of this course
- 1 Numeracy: notation and units, rounding, fractions, decimals and percentages, compound percentage change.
- 2 Measures, rates and proportion: speed, distance and time, area, perimeter and volume, ratio and scale, direct and indirect proportion, reading scales.
- 3 Income, deductions and budgeting: basic pay, overtime, bonus and commission, income tax, National Insurance and pension, budgets.
Decisions run through every paper
Besides the calculations, questions ask you to use your results to make a decision and to say why, such as which deal is better value or whether a plan meets a deadline.
Try 2 questions
Question 2Paper 2 style · calculator
| Deal | Upfront cost (pounds) | Monthly cost (pounds) | Data per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 0 | 32 | 15 GB |
| B | 99 | 28 | 30 GB |
| C | 249 | 22 | Unlimited |
Mhairi needs a phone contract with at least 20 GB of data a month. The table shows three 24 month deals. Which deal that meets her needs costs the least over the 24 months, and what is its total cost?
Next step
Questions people ask
Is there coursework in National 5 Applications of Maths?
No. The grade comes from the two question papers: 35 marks without a calculator and 55 marks with one, 90 marks in all.
Which grades are awarded?
The course is graded A to D on the total mark of both papers.
Is this the same as National 5 Maths?
No. Applications of Mathematics is a separate course focused on using maths in real-life contexts. We have a separate course for National 5 Mathematics.